OS 22:OUT ON THE TOWN

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME!!

TIME TO GET TOWNED!!!

The 2020 OBSDN Men of Color Calendar is still in stock for shopping and shipping! 

You can check out  12 guys from across the country in various fields pose in black white pic collages consisting of tasteful artistic body poses , undergear and fashion styles. 

To purchase go to www.maatology-productions.myshopify.com or click the ad on the right hand side of this blog (WEB VERSION OF BLOG).  LIMITED SUPPLY WILL BE SOLD.

Here are the gents who have participated in the 2020 calendar. This is the poster that is also on sale on the Shopify link. It retails at www.maatology-productions.myshopify.com 

Parts of the proceeds of both the calendar and poster  will go Jessie B's Academy for Preschoolers in St Louis.

We will be seeking gents of color for our 2021 calendar set for July 2020 release. Shoots will start Jan 16. If interested in shooting email to snaphoney2011@gmail.com for more details!

Now lets get town!

Well,  its a new year and new decade (some claim the decade ends DEC 2020) and OUTSTAGN is still going strong heading to its 15th year in publication (JULY 2005).  We hope to continue giving you great content in the months head!

YOURS TRULY didnt do much over this holiday season beside going over to the family's house to partake in the Xmas celebration. But I did get a chance to sneak out of the doldrums of the holiday by going to a private soiree that was held DEC 21 at a spot called The Tower  Skylounge in downtown St Louis. 

It was produced by one of the  vet movers and shakers in the St Louis party scene, Joe Jennings (aka Elistism Mag LOL). It was an exclusive RSVP party and the theme was "Masquerade." One of my close party friends Cynthia Rose, who came from San Diego to visit  family for the holidays (You still onto that L.A. move?LOL), told me about this party about a month in advance so I was set to prep.

                             YOURS TRULY outside on the rooftop of The Skylounge. 




This was also during the hype of Eddie Murphy making his comeback on Saturday Night Live as well, so I was a bit torn regarding going, but the set was to start around 730ish and end around the time SNL was about to air. 

I was no doubt suited and booted and debuting my silver loafers that I purchased on the web (You can check my Instagram @maatspear for pics of them). After I parked about two blocks away from the The Tower around 8pm I get to the building and the door was locked. Then as soon as my mind thought was to go back to my car and jet away, a valet guy asked me, "Are you here for the private party."

I wanted to tell him, "No, I woke up in my party clothes to watch the cars go by." But I said, "Yes."


So another valet punched up a code on the door, opened it and said, 'have a good time." Then told me the number to push on the elevator to get to the rooftop.

I get to the spot and its a very swanky spot with two floors giving you serious posh decco ambience with its motif. I saw Jennings and said whatever greeting I said to him and proceeded to walk around in the space. It was about 50 or so there so far ( I hear about 100 people were invited with their guests). I didnt see Rose as of yet but started to walk around. The Dee-jay was playing what he was playing and I saw the food appetizers. My first question was, "Where's the meat?" Usually at these shindigs theres meatballs or some type of wings, or a waiter(ress) with a tray of  appettizers passing them out to the crowd on a tray , but after that questioning I went ahead and got in line to get what they offered, cheese, crackers, fruit items and some type of noodles that was part of the spread. So I picked my share of what I wanted to put on my plastic plate and walked outside to enjoy the view a bit. It was a bit brisk out but I was able to take the atmosphere in.

A mask, one of the party favors that were given to the crowd.

People were mostly lounging and talking during this time enjoying the fireplace and the outside scenery. They were dressed to impress (The flier demanded it was a semi formal affair) as I scoped the fashions that I saw. Then, I decided to walk upstairs to see the bar area (the drinks were complimentary) and there was a pool table area and people at the bar. I then saw Rose and hugged her. I pulled my sunglasses down to be sure it was her because I did have a few adult beverages before I arrived. Then, Jennings spotted me  abnd asked, :Wheres your camera?" I just said, "I didnt bring it. I just thought a private party and not bring my camera."

FACTS.

But thats the thing, there wasnt anything private--it was mainly a RSVP party for an exclusive group. 

So for awhile that was the sceneof Mainly walking up and down the stairs, looking around and as the night grew, people got loose in their "drinkages" as the dee-jay played various line dance songs, 'Fanstasy Slide" was one of them.

Now, dont get me wrong, the atmosphere was nice, the free drinks and set up. But I was expecting more MASQUERADE beside having masks on,. I mean, this was a Private party and I expected some type of private moments to occur like adult games or some type entertainment to make the event more exciting.

YOURS TRULY with STL socialite Cynthia Rose

After about two hours or so, I decided to grace out of the party, I walked to some  elevators but it was just two floors. Jennings saw me and said, 'You trying to get to the bathroom?"

BUSTED.LOL

So I played it off and went to the makeshift unisex bathroom (The actual Ladies room door was locked for some reason). While I was in the bathroom I took a selfie of my attire (You can also see on my Instagram page @maatspear) . And as I was snapping away, Rose knocked on the door . I opened it and she said. 'I dont care whose in here. I gotta pee." LOL

Meanwhile I decided to sit down and chill out for a minute as I saw another familiar face, socialite Anthony Robinson who throws the house parties at his Architectural spot in the Central West End. He was there with some beautiful tall modeleque female. .So after another thirty minutes, it was really time for me to bounce out and taken the right elevator, back down to the lobby floor. 

Just when I was walking ff, there was a lady at the door shouting out to someone who was outside that the party was still going on. I excused myself in her direction and trotted along to my car and off to the Maatspear Compound. 

FIT TALEZ

 This week I have a fitness gym story for you that involved a unruly boy teenager running into the womens lockeroom.

So, about a month ago during one of my Saturday afternoon workout at the gym I attend, I was on the last phase of my workout getting my cardio going on one of the elliptical machines. Up walks one of the lady custodians who works at the gym. She is a jovial type who does more socializing than actual working. So she walked up next to me looking impish and I glanced over to her and she said, "You wont believe what just happened."

Then I said, "What happened?"

No mind you, I did see some type of ruckus a but earlier while on the cardio machine but didnt know what happened as people started looking toward the exit door of the gym.

The lady said, "Some boy ran into the womens lockeroom and started freaking up on some women in there."

I was shocked and almost lost my footing on the elliptical machine ,"Say what?"

"Yep," she said, " And the boys mother said she has a hard time trying to control him."

I just quipped, "Sound like the police need to get involved," and continued on with my workout.

This is beyond criminal. That was sexual assault. And the boy needs to be taken to juvenile for that.

A teenaged boy with raging harmones and naked women is like adding fire to a firecracker wick.

I didnt get the latest of what happened since then but I will follow up and let you all know.

                                          

For this week, I have one

Over the holidays,  I spotted another expired temp plate on a car during a drive thru situation. What is going on with these people with a temp expired tags? Do they know sooner or later they will get caught my the cops? And its May 2019??? I can see maybe a week or even two weeks old but nearly six months old. 

They would likely be the type of people who would ask the police , 'Is there a problem,offer?" if..... no, WHEN they get stopped. 

SMH.

If you have an event, service or an artist to promote on OUTSTAGIN  email to maat.atkins@gmail.com

A SPECIAL OUT ON THE TOWN: THE TOP 10 BLACK ENTERTAINMENT STORIES of 2019 and OF THE 2010's

From the controversial docuseries Surviving R Kelly airing on Lifetime in the beginning of the year, rapper Lil Nas X making history with his epochal hit, "Old Town Road" during the summer and superstar comedic actor Eddie Murphy making a comeback on Saturday Night Live near the end of the year, 2019 was definitely a year that will go down in history of black entertainers who made 2019 quite the year.

To commemorate, we will count down the Top 10 Black Entertainment Stories of 2019 :

Below are those stories FROM NO. 10 to NO. 1 .......

10.WENDY WILLIAMS SPLITS WITH HUSBAND AFTER CHEATING SCANDAL 

In January, the talk show host was going through turmoil with then rumors of her husband, 

Kevin Hunter alleged physical abuse and buying a house for his mistress, Sharina

\ Hudson close to their residency in New jersey.  After her discourse of her personal 

dilemma on her talk show, Williams  soon after filed for divorce  after 22 years of marriage, 

when she discovered he fathered a child with his mistress. Hunter Sr. was her former 

manager and the show producer of her daytime talk show.

9.ASAP ROCKY ARRESTED  ON ASSAULT CHARGES IN PUBLIC BRAWL IN SWEDEN 

In July, the rapper and members of his entourage were charged in a  Swedish court guilty of assault when a fan confronted Rocky on the street. He was eventually locked in a Swedish prison until President Trump demanded the authorities to release him. He was soon able to leave back ti U.S. until the verdict A month later, He was later found guilty and given a two-year suspended sentence and was ordered to pay damages of 12,500 Swedish krona (about $1,300 US), split with his two associates, to the victim.

8.FILM DIRECTOR JOHN SINGLETON DIES

The film world was in shock when Academy Award-nominated filmmaker best known for 

directing "Boyz N the Hood" died  April 28 after he was taken off life support following 

complications from a stroke. He reportedly began to experience weakness in his legs after

 returning to the United States from a trip to Costa Rica.

A private funeral was held on May 6 in Los Angeles. He was 51. 

7.KEVIN HART INVOLVED IN BAD CAR ACCIDENT

In September, the comedian was involved in a  near -fatal car accident after one of the 

classic cars he owns drove into a ditch in the Malibu Hills. Hart reportedly was not behind

 the wheel of the vehicle  and one of the two other passengers was his wife's trainer

 Rebecca Broxterman. He and the driver reportedly suffered major back injuries. Hart was 

released from the hospital nine days later, and continued recovery at a rehabilitation facility.

6.MEGHAN MARKLE HAS A BABY BOY

In May, the former actress and current Duchess of Sussex and her husbands Prince Harry,

welcomed their first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor at 7 pounds, 3 ounces as

 they posed in front of their home St. George's Hall at Windsor Castle  for the press. 

5.KAN YE BECOMES RELIGIOUS; RELEASES FIRST GOSPEL ALBUM 

This year the rapper turned another page in his illustrious career as he stepped onto the

 pulpit to preach Sunday Services in a field in Calabasas . In October, to showcase his new

 found career, he released his first gospel album, Jesus Is King, in October, his ninth

 overall. It was also his ninth consecutive album to debut atop the US Billboard 200.

4.RAPPER LIL NAS X'S 'OLD TOWN ROAD ' BREAKS HOT 100 RECORD FOR MOST WEEKS AT NO. 1 

In July, the Time cover rapper made history with this game changing, trap country 

juggernaut  when it  held on atop the Hot 100 for a record 17th week making it the longest 

running No. 1 hit on Billboard defeating 16 weeks ' One Sweet Day" by Mariah Careya nd 

Boyz II Men and "Depacitio" by Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber. To cement the 

feat, "Road"  held the No. 1 spot for an additional 2 weeks totalling  19 weeks altogether.  

3.RAPPER NIPSEY HUSSLE KILLED 

On March 31, the beloved Grammy Award nominated  rapper was gunned down was killed

 in a shooting  in the parking lot at Marathon Clothing in South Los Angeles. Police identified

 Eric Ronald Holder Jr. as the suspect who, was known to the rapper and that the shooting 

was possibly motivated by a personal matter. On April 2, Holder was arrested by the Los

 Angeles Police Department and was being held in solitary confinement. His death caused

 international mourning for the rapper. A star studded funeral where thousands attended had

 taken place at The Staple Center in Los Angeles. He was 33.

2.R KELLY'S SURVIVING R KELLY AND CHARGES ENSUES

The troubled singer's life in the spotlight was highlighted in a controversial docuseries Surviving R. Kelly  which aired on Lifetime detailing sexual abuse allegations against the singer from various victims and their parents as well opinions by celebrities such John Legend.  It aired over three nights, from January 3 to January 5. Filmmaker and music critic Dream Hampton served as executive producer. Its premiere episode  was Lifetime's highest-rated program in more than two years, with 1.9 million total viewers.  In February, Kelly was formally charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. On March 6, 2019, television program CBS This Morning  broadcast an interview with Kelly by Gayle King, in which Kelly insisted on his innocence and blamed social media for the allegations.

On July 12, federal prosecutors from  New York and Chicago indicted Kelly on 18 charges , including child sexual exploitation and child pornography among other others . He was denied bail.On August 5 a Minnesota  prosecutor charged Kelly with soliciting a minor and prostitution following a 2001 allegation of inviting a girl up to his hotel room and paying her $200 to remove her clothing and dance with him.  in December, R. Kelly's attorney pleaded not guilty on behalf of Kelly  in Brooklyn, NY  to bribery charges involving a fake ID stemming from his 1994 marriage to the late teen pop star Aaliyah. Also in the same month his trial was set for September 2020 and a part two of Surviving R Kelly was announced to air in January 2020 on Lifetime.

AND THE 

NO 1 STORY 

OF 2019

WAS

1.JUSSIE SMOLLETT ALLEGED ASSAULT HOAX

On January 29, the Empire star reported to the Chicago Police that  he was the victim of a racist and homophobic hate crime in an attack on a Chicago street in the wee hours of the night that briefly left him hospitalized. After investigation, the police found it difficult to pinpoint what actually happened causing them to believe he falsified the attack. Supposedly, Smollett hired two Nigerian fitness trainers to help him plan the alleged hoax.  In February,  police  arrested Smollett and charged him for allegedly filing a false police report which was a felony.  He was also dropped from the show, Empire. 

The arrest and charge followed news reports calling Smollett’s initial claims into question, suggesting that Smollett orchestrated the supposed hate crime attack himself. In March, He pled not guilty to a 16-count indictment and later in that month, prosecutors shockingly dropped the charges. A month later in April, the city of Chicago sued Smollett for $130, 000 for money used to investigate his case. As the case remained in limbo, Smollett filed a counterclaim in November  accusing the City of Chicago for  ignoring key evidence that proved his claim  and its police department of maliciously going after him without probable cause. In December, lawyers for the City of Chicago was to be in court to have a counter suit from actor Jussie Smollett dismissed. As of press time, the counterclaim and the city's initial claim were still pending. It was also discussed by the showrunners of "Empire" that Smollett may return to the set for the series' finale. 

From Internet sensation Antoine Dodson's "hide your kids-hide your wife" mantra, former Chicago Mayor and reality show star Rod Blogoevich getting sentenced to prison for bribery, beloved pop superstars Whitney Houston and Prince dying tragic deaths, football player Michel Sam becoming the first openly gay man to get drafted  and Colin Kaepernick taking a knee for police brutality in the NFL, actress Megan Markle marries Prince Harry becoming interracial royally and actor Jussie Smollett getting charged for an alleged attack hoax and getting fired from his hit show Empire, which, in itself was a TV sensation, the 2010s had its share of controversy, tragedy, and "viralbility."

SPECIAL MENTION: Even though it wasnt an entertainment story, the No 1 Black non-entertainment story was definitely the re-election of President Barack Obama to the Oval in November 2012.



BELOW ARE THE TOP 10 BLACK ENTERTAINMENT STORIES OF THE DECADE (2010-2019) FROM NO. 10 to NO. 1 

10.TV SHOW "EMPIRE" BECOMES A TV RATINGS SENSATION (2015)

The Fox TV Show becomes  a ratings phenomenon starring Terrence Howard and Teraji P henson when it aired in January  2015 and became a pop culture phenomenon drawing 17 million in its first season finale;its first season soundtrack  also hits No. 1 on Billboard Top 200. Its sixth and final season was in 2019-2020

9.BLACK PANTHER BREAKS BOX OFFICE RECORDS (INTERN)NATIONALLY.

This marvel film  became  a cultural phenomenon which  was released in February 2018 after much hype. It would eventually gross over $700 million domestically  becoming the top film of 2018  and  over 1.3 billion in international sales. Its popularity garnered  discussion in the board room at Academy Awards  of creating a new category "Best Popular Film "  but was rescinded.  At the awards show, it would be nominated for seven Academy Awards (including Best Picture ) and winning three.

8.MEGHAN MARKLE MARRIES PRINCE HARRY (2018)

In November 2017, Prince Harry and actress/Duchess Meghan Markle got engaged. The engagement sparked some racist backlash because Markle is a half-Black actress, a divorcee and three years older than the prince. The wedding was held in May 2018 at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.   The wedding also was  diverse in its selection of performers, speakers and musicians. Guests included  Oprah Winfrey, Serena williams  and Sir Elton John to name a few.  It was estimated about  29 million in the United States  saw the wedding on TV. The global audience was estimated hundreds of millions. In 2019, they welcomed a son, Archie (SEE TOP 2019 STORIES ABOVE).  

7.NFL PLAYER COLIN KAEPERNICK TAKES A KNEE PROTESTING POLICE BRUTALITY (2016)

San Fransico 49ers' Colin Kaepernick, during one of his team's preliminary games in August of 2016,  refused to stand during the singing of the National anthem by sitting down on the bench to protest the injustices of black people. The sitting then changed to taking a knee after much negative hoopla about it.  His gesture caused waves with some of his teammates joining him and even local sporting arenas where players took knees to protest.
Kaepernick pledged to donate $1 million to communities for this cause.  His gesture also was good business when his No. 7 jersey became the top selling jersey from No. 20 up to No. 1 at $99 a jersey.Later in the year he made the cover of Time Magazine. The years following, Kaepernick would sue the NFL for firing him, settled and tried to  get scouts to re-sign him to the NFL but to no avail. 

6.PRINCE DIES (2016)

The world mourned when one of the biggest superstars in music history died on April 21 from an overdose of fentanyl, at the age of 57. The GrammyAward winning Rock and Roll Hall of Famer  was cremated soon after  and his ashes were placed into a custom, 3D printed urn shaped like the Paisley Park estate. The urn was placed on display in the atrium of the Paisley Park complex in October 2016.

5.WHITNEY HOUSTON DIES (2012)

Another shocker in the music world occurred when Grammy award winning pop icon Whitney Houston died Feb 11 at the  Beverly Hilton Hotel during Grammy Week, submerged in the bathtub. The cause of death was not immediately known;  local police said there were "no obvious signs of criminal intent". On March 22the Los it was  reported that Houston's death was caused by drowning and the "effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use." A week later,  The Homegoing Celebration of the singer was held Houston at New Hope Baptist Church in New Jersey, the church where she was raised. The Associated Press screened the funeral online and said it had nearly two million unique viewers. 

4.OPRAH ENDS TALK SHOW AFTER 25 YEARS AND DEBUTS NEW NETWORK OWN (2011)

The Queen of Talk said farewell to her Emmy Award winning Daytime Talk Show in 2011 after 25 years on air in May of that year. During the final week, there was a big star studded taping of a farewell concerts that aired May 23 and 24 in two parts for Oprah at the United Center in Chicago. Those who bid her farewell (and were a surprise for the talk show host ) were Will Smith, Tom Hanks, Dr Maya Angelou, Beyonce, Usher, and Aretha Franklin among many. Meanwhile on On Jan 1, of that year she  debuted her own network OWN that was formerly the Discovery Channel. The channel started off with failing ratings to the fledgling network  but got its footing  when she teamed with TV mogul Tyler Perry in 2012 who helped save her network debuting the highly rated drama series, "The Haves and The Have Nots."

3.COSBY RAPE ALLEGATIONS SURFACES (2017) AND IS CHARGED (2018)

Comedian Bill Cosby's rape allegations from several women spilled over from 2016 into the next year with a high-profile sexual assault trial in which Cosby faced off against one of his dozens of accusers. The trial ended in a mistrial on June 17 after a Pennsylvania jury was deadlocked , unable to come to a unanimous decision. The jury deliberated for six days before a judge announced the mistrial. In the middle of all of this, the defense asked for a mistrial, but the judge refused to grant one and told the jury to keep talking it out to try to reach a “guilty” or “not guilty” verdict.  Cosby was charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea Constand. He stood  a retrial in spring 2018 when the judge sentenced him three to 10 years in  Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania  for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand.  He was prosecuted in September. Cosby became the face of the "me too" movement where women came out to sexual assault from men, more specifically men of power.  Soon after he filed an appeal of his convuiction but in December 2019,  the Pennslvania court denied it.   

2.THE QUEEN OF SOUL DIES (2018)

The world gave its R-E-S-P-E-C-T when Grammy Award winning and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer singer Aretha Franklin died August 16 at the age of 76 after a lengthy battle with cancer.  Her home going service was held August 31 at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit,  and was live streamed and televised by various news outlets. Her funeral was attended by hundreds and performers included Ariana Grande, Gladys Knight, Fantasia   and  her longtime friend Smokey Robinson to name a few. It lasted well over 8 hours which was historic in itself, but it was suited perfectly for the world's queen. 



AND THE

NO. 1

TOP STORY

OF THE DECADE

WAS

1.KANYE WEST

The Decade wouldnt  have been the same without the antics of the Grammy Award winning superstar rapper. Beyond his releasing several No 1 albums  ("My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," "Watch the Throne" with Jay Z, "Life of Pablo," "Yeezus" and "Jesus is King.") He started off the decade in 2010 with a controversial photograph of he and a naked Lady Gaga being carried by a tattered West in a jungle setting, began his freestyle publicity tour visiting the headquarters of Twitter, Facebook and Rolling Stone, went onto Twitter and sent a PR strategized apology to Taylor Swift regarding the ‘09 VMA Awards upstaging incident (and later in the year recanted on Twitter saying Swift fed on the incident) , leaked a nude pic  he sent via MySpace; MTV, BET and websites broadcast his directed 30 minute avante guard film for “Runway,” off of "Fantasy" and  released the artwork for the five album covers for his release with one causing controversy and an eventual ban of a painting showing a sex act between a beast and a nude white girl. 

In 2011, he debuted his own clothing line KW during Paris Fashion Week, getting sued by two artists on copyright infringement. In  2014, he married Kim Karshadian dubbing them KIMYE,,his infamous cover of with his wife couple on Vogue and Kanye’s bullying tactics with publisher/editor Anna Wintour  to give the cover spot to his fiancee, his Yeezus tour  had an actor to portray Jesus during one of his moments of his tour that caused controversy over the depiction, he started sporting Confederate flag jackets, got into an now infamous verbal fight with MTV news anchor and radio personality Sway on his SiriusXM station Shade 45. 


In 2015, he announced on  MTV Video Awards  after receiving the Video Vanguard Award that he was running for President in 2020, he almost interrupts Beck's Album of Year acceptance speech at this year's Grammy Awards, his last minute fashion show during New York Fashion Week caused a stir of  white blonde models wearing nude brown attire. 

In 2018,  West went on TMZ Live and generalized that 400 years slavery was a choice causing controversy and conversation,, he visited President Trump after the passing of the music modernization act and concluded with a 10 minute rant about his love for Trump while wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat and then followed with  hugging Trump--then later denouncing him. In 2019, he changed up his image with religion, preaching his own sermons and releasiing his first gospel album (SEE TOP 2019 STORIES ABOVE).

And, thats just half of the things he has done over the last decade--just enough stuff for for him to get the TOP SPOT!